Days of Summer
by I am Lu
Summary: Collection of drabbles. Aki returns home for the summer after her first year in Germany. Light Yusei/Aki.
1. Hello, How Are You?

Title: Greetings

Pairing(s): Light Yusei/Aki

Rating: K+

Warning(s): None.

Note(s): These drabbles takes place during the summer right after Aki's first year in medical school. Each chapter is loosely connected, but it's not a firm plotline.

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><p><em>"There is no friend like an old friend who has shared our morning days, no greeting like his welcome, no homage like his praise."<em>

-Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

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><p>Her coffee was starting to get cold.<p>

She knew he was going to be late; he had called a little earlier to say that he had lost track of time while performing research at the lab. Aki accepted his profuse apologies and told him she'd wait for him. Unfortunately, she had already ordered her drink. Any other person would have gone ahead and enjoyed their coffee but for whatever reason, she couldn't bring herself to take a sip. At least not until Yusei arrived.

She sighed. It couldn't be helped; perhaps the employees would be willing to warm her drink up in the microwave, if they had one. Aki became so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't even notice Yusei approach the table.

"Aki," he said with his classic winsome smile. "It's so nice to see you." Aki looked up and smiled, too.

"Yusei," she responded, pushing her chair back as if to stand. But she stopped, wondering what the proper way to greet him was; was she supposed to shake his hand or hug him or kiss him politely on the cheek? Their last situation had ended a little more intimate than either were used to and she wasn't entirely sure whether they were supposed to pick up where they left off or start all over. Yusei seemed to wonder the same thing, standing rooted to the same spot for a moment before slowly and awkwardly sitting down.

"How have you been?" he asked.

There were a thousands things she could have said. The first could have been _miserable_; it was difficult going to school in a foreign country. Learning a new language was more arduous than she initially thought and her courses this past year had been especially demanding. Not to mention, she missed Yusei and the others terribly. She considered calling it quits during her second month in school, but ultimately decided to stay and finish up the first semester- which made it easier to complete the following semester.

The second could have been _wonderful_; she was proud of herself for sticking it out through the whole year and it had certainly paid off. Living thousands of miles away from home was hard, but it taught her so much- about herself and about life. And while the language barrier was difficult to get around, she made new friends. Communication was difficult at first, but they would teach her a bit of German and, in turn, she would teach them some Japanese. It was an adjustment, but she would be lying if she said she hasn't had fun.

Aki contemplated what she should say for a long moment, but of all the words she could have said, she choose a plain, "Fine." She lifted her head slightly. "You?"

"Same," he replied. Pure, unadulterated silence followed. The sheer awkwardness of the moment cause Aki's muscles to tense and for her breath to get caught in her throat. Her heart ached; it wasn't supposed to be like this. Yusei was one of her closest and most valuable friends. She wanted to be able to share the experiences she had brought home and likewise, for him to update her on the latest happenings in Neo Domino City. This awful tension that hung over them wasn't supposed to be there.

Yusei sat motionless for a moment, watching Aki. His gaze then fell to her untouched cup of coffee. As if by instinct, he reached out and grasped it, immediately noticing how cold it had become. He then stood and tossed it into the trash without a second thought. Aki stared at him with wide-eyes as the scene before her unfolded.

"How do you take yours?" Yusei asked suddenly, turning toward her. Aki shook her head.

"Yusei..." she began quietly. "You didn't have to... I mean, I could have just asked-"

"Aki," he said again, interrupting her. He reached out and lightly touched her shoulder. The gesture alone sent shivers up her spine, like a jolt of electricity. "It's OK. It's on me." Aki seemed hesitant before allowing a small, shy smile to spread across her lips.

"Black. No cream, no sugar," she said. He took a step back; though Yusei was generally an expressionless man, Aki could see a tiny hint of bewilderment hanging from his eyelashes.

"Funny," he replied. "So do I."

As he left to go order, a strange, comforting relief washed over Aki. Her eyes wandered over to the older man and she unconsciously allowed her lips to rest against her fingers; somehow, just _somehow_ she knew that they would be okay.

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><p>Comment(s): It should be noted that this is <em>not<em> a Yusei/Aki fluffy goo-goo fic. It focuses a lot more on their friendship, though I do admit there will be mutual flirting. Like all my newer fics, this one assumes they kissed in their final scene together.

It's probably worth mentioning that this entire little project of mine is loosely connected to my story, _Now_ and all the related 8-year timeskip fics that follow.


	2. Sweet Escape

Title: Sweet Escape

Pairing(s): Light Yusei/Aki

Rating: K+

Warning(s): None.

Note(s): Excuse the general cliche-ness of this.

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><p><em>"The pleasure we derive from doing favors is partly in the feeling it gives us that we are not altogether worthless. It is a pleasant surprise to ourselves."<em>

-Eric Hoffer

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><p>It was hot.<p>

Unbearably hot.

The air conditioning system in Aki's parents' home had broken down that morning and the inside temperature had climbed to sweltering heights. Before leaving for work, Hideo had called someone earlier that afternoon to come and fix it. Setsuko left shortly after her husband to go grocery shopping, leaving Aki with the task of welcoming the repairman when he arrived.

The young woman had stripped down to nothing but a pair of shorts and a tank top. She sat idly on the couch, enjoying the cooling effects of the ceiling fan and occasionally sipping her glass of water. She checked the clock; her father had called over an hour ago. Surely the repairman would have been there by then-

Suddenly, there was a knock. Aki nearly jumped at the sound. Irritated, she stood up and hastily made her way to the door. Well, it was about time he got there!

Upon opening the door, she was met with surprise. "Yusei?" she asked, swallowing. He smiled.

"Hello, Aki," he replied politely. She invited him inside, desperately trying to shake off her befuddlement. Her father had called _Yusei_? And he had agreed to come? She knew Yusei was a skilled mechanic, but he was usually so busy at the Momentum lab that she couldn't imagine where he had found the time to make the commute to her parents' mansion.

Aki led him into the garage. Yusei set down his toolbox and immediately got to work. Aki stood over him awkwardly for a moment, contemplating what she should do. The last time she had seen him was over a week ago when they had agreed to meet up at the coffee shop- and while both had manage to break down the wall of tension that had been built between them, they still weren't entirely comfortable with each other. At least, not yet.

Eventually, Aki pulled up a chair to watch him as he worked, resolving to at least try to strike up a conversation with him. Which, with Yusei, was difficult. While she wasn't exactly chatty either, she was at least more sociable than the marked man- and that was saying a lot.

"Please forgive me if I sound rude, but..." Aki paused, inhaling deeply. "... Why are you here? You have a steady job and income. Surely you don't need the money?"

Yusei stopped, taking a moment to look up at the woman.

"I'm not getting paid," he said plainly. "I'm doing this as a favor to your father." Aki raised her brow.

"A favor? For what?"

Yusei shrugged. "I have my reasons," was his reply. Aki suspected she wouldn't be able to get much more out of him, so she dropped the subject. Yusei went on with his work and Aki settled into the silence, deciding no matter how hard she tried, she wasn't going to get him to chat. She peeked over his shoulder and watched his dry, cracked hands work their magic. Her eyes went wide with childlike awe, seeing that he had already disassembled most of the machine.

He paused to wipe sweat of his forehead. Aki looked stricken, realizing that she was not the only one withering away in the heat. She quietly excused herself and headed back inside. Her destination was the freezer, which she rummaged through looking for _it_... Surely they had some. They always did.

She pushed aside a package of frozen meat and smiled; ah, there _it_ was.

Aki quickly grabbed the container and retrieved a couple of spoons from her mother's silverware drawer before heading back out to the garage. She was surprised to find that Yusei was already finished and packing up his things. He glanced up at her with a stoic expression.

"The internal fan had stopped functioning, but it should work now," he said plainly. Aki responded by simply holding out a spoon to him. He raised his brow questioningly.

"What's this?" he asked. She smiled.

"Your payment." It was then that she unsheathed the barely half-full bucket of vanilla ice cream. He stared at her, unsure of how to react. Then he let out a small chuckle.

"Well, if you insist," he said, also smiling. Aki felt the tension suddenly melt away as he accepted her spoon, noting the warmth that filled her chest when he looked at her like that. They sat down together as Aki wrenched off the lid, revealing the creamy frozen treat inside. Yusei stiffened for a brief moment, looking at her with a bemused expression.

"No bowls?" he asked. She shook her head.

"Nah." She brought her eyes shyly up to his. "I thought we'd share."

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><p>Comment(s): Guess what I'm craving.<p> 


	3. Fun Meant For One

Title: Fun Meant For One

Pairing(s): Light Yusei/Aki

Rating: K+

Warning(s): Wee bit of language.

Note(s): This chapter is based of one off my failed fics (one I never published), but hopefully this dramatically revised and shortened version is a lot better.

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><p><em>"Boredom: the desire for desires."<em>

-Leo Nikolaevich

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><p>Aki was used to being lonely. She spent the majority of her youth as an outcast, and even after being adopted into the Arcadia Movement, she was left alone most of time. Apparently, other psyshic duelists were just as anti-social as she was. Even Divine, though suave and charming, did not particularly enjoy making smalltalk when he didn't have to.<p>

It wasn't until she met Yusei and the others that she truly felt like she belonged. She was able to grow socially and learn how to be trusting and accepting of others. Yes, the two years spent with what would become Team 5D's were hands-down the best two years of her life, despite all the hell they went through together. Sure, the friendships she established in Germany were wonderful, but they felt like nothing compared to what she experienced back in Neo Domino City.

Unfortunately, she had foolishly thought things would be the same when she returned for the summer. She seemed to have forgotten that Yusei, Ushio, Mikage, Carley, and Stephanie were the only people who had remained in Neo Domino. Jack, Crow, Rua, Ruka, and Sherry had all gone their separate ways, as had she. She also seemed to forget that because they were all now adults, they were also very busy and not always available to hang out.

So here she was, sitting by herself in her parents' mansion, doing practically nothing. Her parents had left for a funeral a day earlier, but not without leaving her with something to do. Her father had bought her a book, but not just any book: he got her _Twilight_, conveniently translated in German to give her some practice learning the language.

She had to wonder, did her parents know her at all? Nevertheless, she tried to read it but eventually gave up because a) she couldn't understand most of the material; b) she hated the material she could understand.

So she moved on to other things. Her accomplishments that day included painting her fingernails (twice), rearranging her deck, organizing the food in the refrigerator in alphabetical order, browsing online for clothes she wanted but couldn't afford because she was paying for medical school, and watching her favorite chickflick (which she discovered is significantly less enjoyable when Mikage or Carley aren't sitting next to her). Her current task was fashioning the paper clips in her father's study into a giant chain.

Aki sighed, allowing the chain to slip through her fingers and onto the floor. Yes, she was bored as hell. And just because she was used to being lonely didn't mean it still didn't suck. And now that she had been exposed to true friendship, being without company was more difficult than ever before.

She paused and gazed longingly at her phone. Ushio and Mikage were on duty tonight. Carley had a deadline to meet. Stephanie was working all-day today at Cafe la Geen. Aki knew all this because she had talked to them earlier, hoping to at least be able to grab lunch or see a movie.

The only person she didn't call was Yusei.

She simply couldn't bring herself to do it. Things felt... different. Awkward. Each time they met, it took time for them to warm up to each other. She wanted and she believed this uncomfortableness between them was just temporary, that everything would eventually go back to normal. But with what happened between them last year, she was beginning to worry that was impossible.

Aki was raised in a family where if problems were ignored, then they didn't exist. She knew better than anyone that was absolutely incorrect. Still, some naïve, childish part of her believed if she just didn't talk to Yusei for awhile, things would simply realign themselves. She'd stop feeling like she needed to vomit when he stood close to her, and he'd stop looking at her like he was seeing an entirely different person than before.

And then, there was this other part of her that wished Yusei would be the one calling her. She felt like she was always the one instigating a conversation or a meeting between them. Why couldn't he do that for once? Was she just a nuisance to him? Did he only go out with her because he didn't have the heart to turn her down?

She wove her fingers through her hair in frustration. God, why did things have to be so complicated?

Aki jumped when her phone vibrated. She scrambled to grab the device, quickly checking the caller ID. Her eyes widened and her lips curled into a smile upon who she realized it was.

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><p>Comment(s): Opinions? Analysis? I always like to hear what people think is going on when I write things like this.<p> 


	4. Beyond Empty Phrases

Title: Beyond Empty Phrases

Pairing(s): Light Yusei/Aki

Rating: K+

Warning(s): None.

Note(s): I'm sorry for the slow updates. I'm just lazy.

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><p><em>"It kills you to see them grow up. But I guess it would kill you quicker if they didn't."<br>_  
>-"Animal Dreams" by Barbara Kingsolver<p>

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><p>"I have a question for you, Yusei," Aki asked suddenly. Yusei looked up at her, his lips cracking a smile. It was early Sunday afternoon, and he had the day off. Not wanting to spend his day by himself, he invited Aki over to have lunch with him. At first, he was concerned this would only invite more uncomfortable tension into their questionable relationship. But for once, everything seemed to be going smoothly.<p>

"Shoot."

"I need a bit of advice," she began calmly, using a straw to stir around the ice cubes in her lemonade. "Father's day is next week, and I am at a complete loss as to what to buy for my father. It's frustrating, really. It's difficult to get him something; he's already wealthy, there's little he wants or needs."

"What about just a card?" the marked man suggested as he leaned back in his chair. Aki shook her head.

"I'm 19 now; I feel like I'm held to a little bit of a higher standard," she replied. Yusei cocked his brow at her.

"I'm sure Hideo-sama would appreciate a heartfelt message from his daughter more than any materialistic object," he replied frankly. Aki seemed to agree, and Yusei smiled sadly. "Then again, perhaps I am not the best person to give advice on this subject." The medical student's eyes widened, realizing the implications of his statement. Guilt washed over her, and she hung her head sheepishly.

"I'm very sorry, Yusei," Aki said apologetically. "I did not realize how insensitive my question truly was." Yusei waved his hand dismissively.

"Don't worry about it, I know you didn't mean anything by it." Yet, the disappointed look in his cobalt eyes didn't disappear. Aki knew Yusei longed for a family; sure, he had his foster mother, Martha, and his surrogate brothers, Jack and Crow, but growing up without ever knowing his biological parents tore him up inside.

Aki stood and approached Yusei and sat closely beside him. She hesitated before placing her hand gently on his shoulder blade, curling her fingers into the soft fabric of his shirt. The gesture seemed to surprise the scientist; his eyes connected with hers, his gaze curious and waiting.

"Yusei..." she began very quietly. "I am sure your father is proud of you; I am sure both of your parents are." He remained silent, allowing her to continue.

"Look how successful you are; famous duelist Yusei Fudo who became the King of Riding Duel at the Fortune Cup and was on the winning team of the first WRGP. And now, you're following in your father's footsteps, building a better future using Momentum technology to create the Fortune program." Her voice lowered. "And... look at how many lives you have touched... look at how many lives you have saved. I know you have saved mine."

Aki's sincerity and the intimacy of the moment was almost too much for Yusei to handle. He placed his hand on top of her shoulder, opposite to where her hand was on his back.

"Thank you, Aki," he said quietly. "Your words mean a lot to me."

Ultimately, Aki decided to follow Yusei's advice and get her father a card. She realized that if what she said really did have a profound effect on Yusei, then that same genuiness would mean so much to her father. However, she struggled when it came to writing a wholehearted message on the blank card, mostly because she had trouble focusing after realizing how close she and Yusei actually were.

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><p>Comment(s): Yeah... It's shorter than usual. Happy early Father's Day.<p> 


	5. A Do Nothing Kind of Day

Title: A Do-Nothing Kind of Day

Pairing(s): Light Yusei/Aki

Rating: K+

Warning(s): None.

Note(s): Enjoy.

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><p><em>"Sometimes the cure for restlessness is rest."<br>_  
>-Colleen Wainwright<p>

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><p>Rua sighed heavily.<p>

Adults were so boring sometimes. He and his sister were visiting Neo Domino for the next two weeks, yet they were doing nothing.

Yusei and Aki were stretched across opposite ends of one couch, their limbs fitting nicely together in the arrangement, like two puzzle pieces. Each were deeply engrossed in a book. He, a textbook on quantum mechanics. His brow was knit tightly together, absorbing the information presented to him like a sponge. She, on the other hand, was reading a novel: _Twilight_, to be exact (though it was in a language Rua speculated to be German). She was a little more interesting to watch because of the expressions she made, which ranged from utter confusion to absolute disgust to complete indifference.

Of course, Ruka wasn't helping the situation much, either (probably because she liked to act like an adult and was therfore sometimes boring). She was curled up in the corner with her laptop, getting a head-start on their summer assignments. Rua snorted. He saved that stuff for the Sunday before the first day of school. After another few long moments of silence, he moaned loudly and stretched out his arms in complaint.

"Come on, guys," he plead. "Don't you all, you know, wanna do something?"

"Rua, be polite," his twin sister chastised. "It's rude to interrupt people while they're reading." Rua scrunched his face.

"Well, you can't say you'd rather be working on homework than out having fun at an amusement park or an arcade!" he exclaimed.

"Actually, I can," she retorted. Rua stared at her blankly and she sighed. "I don't know... We don't have to be running around town every day just because it's summer. It's good to just take a breather and do nothing. Am I right, Aki nee-san?"

"No way!" Rua argued. "Carpe Dien! We've gotta live life to the fullest. You get what I'm saying, Yusei?"

The two young adults looked at Rua sheepishly. Neither of them really wanted to get involved in the sibling argument, but both knew that the twins would never drop it unless they did. The boy's shoulders sagged.

"I'm calling Tenpei," he declared sulkily, storming out of the room.

"You do that," his sister mumbled without casting him a glance.

The trio could hear the boy talking loudly to his friend from the next room over as he tried to set up a meeting at the park for a couple of rounds of Duel Monsters. When Rua was asked if Ruka was coming, too, he simply replied she wasn't because she was being "moody" again. Ruka rolled her eyes and Yusei and Aki looked at each other from over their respective material and smiled knowingly.

Ah, to be young.

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><p>Comment(s): I've received a few complaints about me implying Faithshipping in these drabbles. Um, yeah, because it's supposed to be light YuseiAki.


	6. The Beautiful Move in Curves

Title: The Beautiful Move in Curves

Pairing(s): Light Yusei/Aki

Rating: K+

Warning(s): Brief language.

Note(s): Enjoy.

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><p><em>"I'm beautiful in my way<br>'Cause God makes no mistakes  
>I'm on the right track, baby<br>I was born this way."_

_-_"Born This Way" by Lady Gaga

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><p>This was one of those days Aki wished she could just curl up an die.<p>

On a whim, the twins (and by that, she meant mostly Rua) had decided to visit the beach the day before they left Neo Domino City again. She and Yusei were, of course, begged to join them for their improptu trip. Yusei went along with them willingly. Aki, on the other hand, had to be dragged there kicking and screaming (not literally, but she was certainly unhappy with the idea).

It wasn't because she had a fear of sharks or because she burned easily in the sun or even because she couldn't swim- it was because she hated being in a bathing suit. Or rather, she hated being seen in a bathing suit.

Aki sat under the shade of their large umbrella, chipping away at the foreign text of her _Twilight_ book. Even after all this time, she was only in the middle of chapter five. And she still couldn't understand a damn word of it.

Suddenly, a young woman, probably around her age, ran past her to greet what Aki assumed was her boyfriend. Aki stared at the young woman with admiration and a hint of jealousy, noticing how gorgeous she looked in her bikini with her pencil thin body. She wished she could be like that; it was, after all, what Japanese men supposedly found most appealing these days (or so she heard).

Aki, having set her book aside, hugged herself tightly. She had opted for a large, baggy white T-shirt to cover herself up; she didn't want Yusei and the twins to see how, well, _not_ pencil thin she was. Sure she could, for the most part, cover up her hourglass figure when she was wearing regular clothes... but a bathing suit made her curviness quite obvious.

"Hey." Yusei's voice snapped Aki out of her self-pity fest. She smiled at him weakly as he sat beside her.

"Hey," she said back. They were silent for awhile, watching the waves crash against the sand again and again. Yusei cleared his throat.

"They twins were wondering why you aren't out there with them," he said carefully. Aki shrugged and looked away.

"I'm just not fond of the ocean," she lied. Her eyes were glued to the girl she had seen earlier, who had set up next to where they were. Yusei noticed this, his cobalt eyes moving back and forth between Aki and the other young woman.

"Suite yourself," he said after a long moment, standing. He paused suddenly and leaned closely toward her. When he spoke, his voice was low and gentle and mysterious. "If you ask me, though, I think women with curves are _beautiful_." Her face felt like it was on fire; was he actually verbally_ flirting_ with her? She shook her head in disbelief. No- this was Yusei Fudo, the most non-sexual man she had ever encountered in her entire life.

"How did you-?" she began in awe, her cheeks still red with embarrassment. But he was already gone, off to join the Rua and Ruka in the water. She exhaled slowly, staring blankly at the ocean and beyond, lost in thought. She then focused her attention on Yusei, who was acting rather out of character as he played with the twins.

She smiled, stood up, removed her shirt, and joined them.

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><p>Comment(s): I've been on a pro-women kick lately, if you haven't noticed.<p> 


	7. Complete and Utter Jargon

Title: Complete and Utter Jargon

Pairing(s): Light Yusei/Aki

Rating: K+

Warning(s): None.

Note(s): Enjoy.

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><p><em>"It is wiser to find out than to suppose."<em>

-Mark Twain

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><p>"<em>And now I would like to invite our last speaker, Fudo-Hakase, to the podium to discuss the new Fortune program and its potential functions and benefits in our developing world.<em>" There was a loud applause as the marked scientist took the stage, shaking the hosts' hand. In the back of the auditorium, a young woman snuck in and occupied one of the few empty seats in the last row, glad she had been able to make it on time for his oration.

"_Thank you and thank you for your invitation to participate in this public lecture; it truly is an honor._" As he launched into a long-winded explanation of the relationship between quantum mechanics and the Fortune program, the girl noticed many of the people around her scurrying to pull out their spiral-bound notebooks and pens from their bags and purses. She found it curious that most of the lecture's participants, to her knowledge, did not seem interested in note-taking until Yusei got up to speak.

The young woman rested her chin on her open palm, watching Yusei carefully as he spoke; even from all the way up there, she could see a glimmer of passion smoldering in his blue eyes. It drew her in and, although he was not discussing a subject she would otherwise be very interested in, she felt compelled to listen.

"_I would now like to turn the time over to you in case you have any questions,_" he concluded after 15 or so minutes of talking. A buzz of hushed chatter washed over the crowd, though no one raised their hand- except for one, the burgundy-haired girl sitting in the last row. Yusei's eyes widened when he saw her, and wondered whether she was just a look-alike or if it was really her.

"Yes, you in the back," he said cautiously.

"Fudo-Hakase," she began politely, standing up. "I was just wondering; you said that, in general, quantum mechanics describes the time evolution of physical systems using mathematical equations. Am I correct?"

"Yes, go on."

"Then is it true that by using these mathematical equations, you will be able to predict the development of the Fortune technology's energy?"

He smiled. "That's a very good question. And yes; because Fortune's system is mathematically-based, it is possible to predict its progression." He paused before adding, "It also makes it possible to forsee potential disaster should the system fail. Does that answer your question, Izayoi-san?" There was a quiet gasp among the audience; he knew the girl?

"Yes, it does," Aki said wryly, smirking. "Thank you." The lecture ended shortly thereafter and though many students and interns wanted to ask Yusei questions personally, the only person he wanted to speak with was the pretty young lady who was willing to speak up.

"How did you know I would be here tonight?" Yusei asked after climbing the stairs to meet Aki, who had been waiting for him.

"I saw an announcement in the newspaper and I thought I'd surprise you," she said with a shrug. She suddenly frowned. "Why didn't you tell me you were speaking? I wasn't entirely sure whether it was you or not when I saw your name listed as one of the guest speakers for this lecture."

"I didn't think you would be very interested and I didn't want to impose on you or make you feel like you had to come," he confessed sheepishly. "It's very complicated material and it's difficult for people who haven't studied advanced physics to understand; though, you seemed to pick up on it quite easily."

"You're a good teacher."

"You flatter me. Thank you. I'm not a teacher though; I was just asked to speak on the Fortune program since I was at the head of its development."

"Right, right. In any case, you did a nice job and I think that's worthy of a nice meal at whatever restaurant you want," she said, her lips curling upward as she folded her arms. "I'll pay."

"Aki, I couldn't..."

"I insist."

"Well..." He cracked another smile. "Oh, alright. I'd love to."

* * *

><p>Comment(s): I actually had to spend time studying quantum mechanics before writing this. Eurgh.<p> 


	8. An Experience Worth Sharing

Title: An Experience Worth Sharing

Pairing(s): Light Yusei/Aki

Rating: K+

Warning(s): None.

Note(s): Enjoy.

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><p><em>"Two is company, four is a party, three is a crowd. One is a wanderer."<em>

-James Thuber

* * *

><p>Aki had nearly forgotten how much she loved riding her D-Wheel. Since she was obviously unable to take it with her abroad, she was a little rusty with the manuvering, but she had gotten the hang of it again very quickly. Nevertheless, it was comforting to know Yusei was riding a little up ahead of her, just in case she wiped out. The young women smiled and lifted her slightly, feeling the cool summer night air whip past her form as they rode over the Daedalus Bridge. Yes, she had missed this feeling dearly.<p>

"Aki." Yusei's voice, which came through tiny speakers installed inside her helmet, caught her by surprise and cause her to wobble a little bit. She managed to regain control, however, and reply.

"Yusei?" she questioned. "What's the matter?"

"You may want to start decelerating. We're stopping a little further up," he explained calmly. Though he couldn't see, she nodded and pressed her foot lightly on the brake. The two riders eased to a stop alongside the pier in the Satellite area. Aki took a long look at the Neo Domino City from across the bay, noticing how bright and glorious it seemed from such a distance. She briefly wondered if Yusei often came here before the two cities were connected to admire the glow of the utopia. She followed Yusei's lead and dismounted her D-Wheel, removing her helmet and shaking out her hair.

"Why did we come here, Yusei?" she asked finally, setting her helmet on top of the seat. He remained silent for a long moment, tilting his head upward.

"Look," he said plainly. And she did.

"The stars," she mused, watching the thousands of tiny little white dots twinkle in the blackened sky. She really had no idea where he was going with this.

"They're harder to see from the city," he explained. "The lights make them look bleak."

"Ah," she replied, though she still didn't quite understand what he meant. Silence fell and Yusei dropped to the ground swinging his feet over the edge of the chilly water. He then gestured for Aki to join him. She hesitated, but timidly sat beside him nonetheless.

"Mars is supposed to be visible tonight," he remarked suddenly. Aki cast him a wary glance.

"Is it?"

"Yes." He cracked a smile and pointed upward. "There it is. Can you see it?" Aki strained her eyes, but was unable to find something unusual among the massive field of stars.

"No," she confessed sadly. Yusei gently grasped her wrist, moving just the slightest bit closer to her as he tried to point her in the right direction. Her cheeks flushed pink as he did; sometimes, she wondered if he had any idea what kind of effect his touch had over her.

"There," he said. "You'll have to look carefully, or you'll miss it." Aki tried to locate the planet again and this time was successful. Her eyes widened a little bit in awe, entranced by its unusual beauty. It was dim and difficult to see, but the reddish dot she saw was unmistakably Earth's sister planet compared to the white paradisical stars that tried to outshine it.

"It's beautiful," she muttered quietly. She tore her eyes off of the celestial body for a moment to look at him, and was surprised to see that he was already looking at her. "But... why?" Her question was vague and could have been interpreted in several different ways, but Yusei was able to understand exactly what she meant. He smiled.

"I just wanted to show you."

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